fredericksburg ozone advance action planfredericksburg ozone advance action plan annual report...

.

Fredericksburg Ozone Advance Action Plan

Annual Report04-30-2016

Abbreviations

Fredericksburg Ozone Advance Action Plan Annual Report 04-30-2016Abbreviations

CMAQ Congestion, Mitigation, and Air Quality

CPCN certificate of public convenience and necessity

DMME Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

EV electric vehicles

FAMPOFredericksburg Area Metropolitan PlanningOrganization

FRM Federal reference method

LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

MATS Mercury and Air Toxics Rule

µg/m3 micrograms per cubic meter

MW megawatts

NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standard

NOX nitrogen oxides

ORE On Road Emissions Program

PM2.5fine particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers indiameter

ppb parts per billion

RAMPO Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

SCC State Corporation Commission

SCR selective catalytic reduction

SF square foot

SO2 sulfur dioxide

VCC Virginia Clean Cities, Inc.

VDEQ Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

VEMP Virginia Energy Management Program

VOC volatile organic compounds

VPA Virginia Port Authority

Fredericksburg Ozone Advance Action Plan Annual Report 04-30-2016Page 1

Fredericksburg Ozone and PM2.5 Air Quality – April 2016 Update

The Ozone Advance program is a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local

governments as well as area stakeholders to develop an Action Plan for a region.

Action Plans encourage programs and practices that facilitate emission reductions of

ozone and fine particulate (PM2.5) precursors so that citizens may continue to benefit

from healthy air quality. These Action Plans help to ensure that covered areas remain

compliant with federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and provide a

roadmap for progress toward compliance with future NAAQS updates, such as the 2015

ozone NAAQS published on October 26, 2015 (80 FR 65292). The U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) provided programmatic guidance concerning the Ozone

Advance program in April 2012. After reviewing air quality data and considering the

information in the guidance document, leaders in the Fredericksburg area and the

Commonwealth of Virginia developed the Fredericksburg Ozone Advance Action Plan

to promote continued good air quality.

The Action Plan, which EPA received in April 2013, provided information on the air

quality in the Fredericksburg area and across Virginia. The plan is available on the

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) website at

http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Air/AirQualityPlans/OzoneandPM25RegionalPlan

ningActivities.aspx. This document updates the air quality information in the Action Plan

and shows that air quality improvements are continuing. The improvements are the

result of the emission reductions achieved from the many federal, state, and local air

pollution control programs and voluntary efforts being implemented as well as the

favorable meteorology during the summers of 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Ozone

Photochemical reactions between volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen

oxides (NOX) create ozone when they mix in the presence of sunlight. Ozone is the

primary component of smog and a lung irritant. Populations that are especially

susceptible to impacts from this pollutant include elderly people, children, and those

with lung ailments such as asthma and emphysema. Ozone also interferes with plants’

abilities to process food and ward off diseases.

Emission reductions of NOX, the primary precursor to ozone in the Commonwealth,

have been significant in recent years and should continue into the future, as detailed in

the Action Plan. For example, emissions from on-road vehicles will continue to

decrease due to the new Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards that EPA

finalized on April 28, 2014 (79 FR 23414). The Tier 3 program sets new, cleaner

standards that start with model year 2017 vehicles.


Meteorology also plays a key role in ozone formation. The meteorology in 2009, 2013,

2014, and 2015 was not conducive to ozone formation due in part to greater than

normal precipitation. In addition, below-normal ozone season maximum daily

temperatures in 2009, 2013, and 2014 contributed to lower ozone values. The

meteorology during the summers of 2010, 2011, and 2012 was more conducive to

ozone formation. The 2010 ozone season in Virginia was the warmest on record. The

2011 and 2012 ozone seasons had higher than average maximum daily temperatures

although precipitation in 2011 and 2012 was near or above normal levels. Table 1

summarizes Virginia’s ozone season temperature and precipitation data for the period

2009 through 2015.

Table 1: Virginia Ozone Season Meteorology Data, 2009-2015

VirginiaMaximum Daily Average Temperature (°F)

(May through September)

Virginia Precipitation (inches)(May through September)

YearAverage

MaximumTemperature

NormalDeparture from

Normal(20

thCentury)

TotalPrecipitation

(inches)Normal

Departurefrom Normal(20

thCentury)

2009 80.1

81.1

-1.0 23.31

20.23

+3.08

2010 84.9 +3.8 19.52 -0.71

2011 82.5 +1.4 23.74 +3.51

2012 82.4 +1.3 20.50 +0.27

2013 79.8 -1.3 23.96 +3.73

2014 80.7 -0.4 19.32 -0.91

2015 82.2 +1.1 22.27 +2.04

Figure 1 shows the ozone air quality as measured at the Stafford County monitor. The

figure also provides data from the Caroline County monitor, which is located outside of

the Fredericksburg area but is nearby. Air quality in this part of the Commonwealth has

improved over the last decade. The long term improvement depicted in Figure 1

demonstrates that the emission reductions achieved both locally and regionally have

improved air quality to the point where ozone air quality complies with, and is

significantly beneath, the 2008 ozone NAAQS of 75 parts per billion (ppb). EPA

published a more stringent ozone NAAQS on October 1, 2015, revising the standard to

70 ppb. Air quality data gathered in the Fredericksburg area for 2013 through 2015 also

comply with this new standard.


Figure 1: Fredericksburg Ozone Air Quality

Monitoring data across Virginia show similar patterns of air quality improvement. Figure

2 provides this data for various areas of Virginia. All areas of the Commonwealth are

benefitting from the ozone precursor emission reductions generated by federal, state,

and local control programs, and the Commonwealth has seen tremendous

improvements in ozone air quality over the last decade. Based on 2013-2015 data, air

quality in all areas of the Commonwealth complies with the 2008 ozone NAAQS and the

2015 ozone NAAQS.

Figure 3 shows the number of ozone air quality exceedance days in Virginia since 1997

based on the 2015 ozone NAAQS. In 1998, Virginia recorded 108 exceedance days

statewide. In 2010, the hottest and one of the driest summers on record, this value

dropped to 52 exceedance days. In 2015, Virginia recorded only 13 exceedance days.


Figure 2: Ozone 3-Year Average in Virginia Areas

Figure 3: Virginia Ozone Exceedance Day Trends, 2015 Ozone NAAQS


PM2.5

The federal regulations define PM2.5 as any airborne particle of solid or liquid matter that

is less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which is approximately 1/30th the

width of a human hair. Exposure to high levels of PM2.5 adversely affects human health,

and the main impacts of PM2.5 are on the respiratory system and the cardiovascular

system. Children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing pulmonary or cardiac

disease are the most susceptible to PM2.5 pollution.

Federal regulations provide two health-based standards for PM2.5. The first value is a

daily, or 24-hour, standard of 35 µg/m3, established in 2006. The second value is an

annual average of 12.0 µg/m3, established in 2012. All monitors in Virginia comply with

these NAAQS. Table 2 provides information from one PM2.5 Federal Reference Method

(FRM) monitoring site in each area of the Commonwealth. While Fredericksburg does

not have a PM2.5 FRM monitoring site located within its boundaries, PM2.5 air quality

within Fredericksburg should reflect similar values due to the regional nature of PM2.5pollution. These data show that PM2.5 air quality continues to improve and that a

significant buffer exists between the monitored values and the health-based standards

of 35 µg/m3 on a 24-hour basis and 12.0 µg/m3 on an annual basis. This improvement

is largely due to SO2 emission reductions because SO2 forms sulfates, a component of

PM2.5, in the atmosphere. Reductions in SO2 and VOC have also helped PM2.5 air

quality by reducing the organic carbon portion of PM2.5.

Table 2: Annual and 24-Hour PM2.5 3-Year Averages Across the Commonwealth

3 YearPeriod

Arlington

51-013-0020

Chesterfield

51-041-0003

Bristol

51-520-0006

Virginia Beach

51-810-0008

Annual 24-Hour Annual 24-Hour Annual 24-Hour Annual 24-Hour

2001-2003 14.6 µg/m3

38 µg/m3

13.6 µg/m3

34 µg/m3

14.3 µg/m3

33 µg/m3

12.6 µg/m3

33 µg/m3

2002-2004 14.5 µg/m3

37 µg/m3

13.4 µg/m3

33 µg/m3

13.9 µg/m3

31 µg/m3

12.5 µg/m3

32 µg/m3

2003-2005 14.6 µg/m3

36 µg/m3

13.6 µg/m3

33 µg/m3

14.0 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

12.6 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

2004-2006 14.2 µg/m3

34 µg/m3

13.4 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

13.9 µg/m3

31 µg/m3

12.5 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

2005-2007 14.0 µg/m3

32 µg/m3

13.3 µg/m3

31 µg/m3

13.9 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

12.1 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

2006-2008 12.9 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

12.4 µg/m3

28 µg/m3

12.7 µg/m3

28 µg/m3

11.9 µg/m3

30 µg/m3

2007-2009 11.9 µg/m3

27 µg/m3

11.2 µg/m3

24 µg/m3

11.2 µg/m3

25 µg/m3

10.7 µg/m3

26 µg/m3

2008-2010 10.8 µg/m3

24 µg/m3

10.3 µg/m3

21 µg/m3

10.2 µg/m3

22 µg/m3

10.3 µg/m3

24 µg/m3

2009-2011 10.1 µg/m3

22 µg/m3

9.6 µg/m3

21 µg/m3

9.9 µg/m3

21 µg/m3

9.6 µg/m3

23 µg/m3

2010-2012 9.9 µg/m3

22 µg/m3

9.5 µg/m3

21 µg/m3

9.8 µg/m3

20 µg/m3

9.3 µg/m3

24 µg/m3

2011-2013 9.4 µg/m3

21 µg/m3

8.7 µg/m3

21 µg/m3

9.0 µg/m3

18 µg/m3

8.5 µg/m3

22 µg/m3

2012-2014 9.0 µg/m3

21 µg/m3

8.5 µg/m3

19 µg/m3

8.6 µg/m3

16 µg/m3

8.0 µg/m3

20 µg/m3

2013-2015 8.9 µg/m3

20 µg/m3

8.3 µg/m3

18 µg/m3

8.2 µg/m3

15 µg/m3

7.9 µg/m3

19 µg/m3

Data Source: VDEQ-Air Quality Monitoring Division


Figure 4 shows the improvement in monitored sulfate concentrations over the last

several years, as measured by the PM2.5 speciation monitor located in Henrico, Virginia.

This monitor has the ability to measure the components of PM2.5 pollution. The sulfate

portion of PM2.5 has decreased markedly, as has the organic carbon portion.

Figure 4: Henrico Speciation Data

Emission Reduction Programs

The following tables provide updates on the programs described in the Fredericksburg

Ozone Advance Action Plan. Table 3 provides information on programs that are

ongoing as well as on programs that are currently in development or began after the

area's leaders finalized the Fredericksburg Ozone Advance Action Plan. Table 4

provides information on programs that have been completed.

For the summer of 2015, several NOX emission reduction actions occurred that warrant

highlighting. Regionally, Honeywell, located in Hopewell, Virginia, completed work on

two additional selective catalytic reduction (SCR) control devices and began operating

the new SCRs in October 2014. These units reduced NOX emissions by approximately

1,500 tons during 2015, as compared to previous years. The Philip Morris Park 500


facility, located in Richmond, Virginia, switched two of their boilers from coal to natural

gas. SO2 and NOX emissions in 2014 were 98 tons and 119 tons, respectively, for this

facility. In 2015, the facility emitted less than 1 ton of SO2 and 11 tons of NOX. The

Chesapeake Power Station, which is located in Chesapeake, Virginia, retired four coal-

fired units in December 2014. These units emitted over 600 tons of NOX during the

2014 ozone season. Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, located in Newport News,

Virginia, received a permit to replace the residual oil-fired powerhouse boilers with new,

natural gas fired boilers. This permit also authorized the conversion of the residual oil-

fired, barge-mounted boilers to ultra-low sulfur distillate oil. Huntington Ingalls

performed much of this work in 2015. Also in 2015, the Invista facility in Waynesboro,

Virginia, permanently retired their coal-fired boilers and replaced them with new, natural

gas-fired units. These changes helped to reduce the amount of NOX and SO2transported into the Fredericksburg region.

For the upcoming summer of 2016, additional changes and new programs will provide

more emission reductions of ozone precursors. For example, VDEQ implemented

changes to the On-Road Emissions testing program, called RAPIDPASS, in December

2015. The Virginia legislature approved an expansion of Virginia's on-road emissions

testing program to allow up to 30% of vehicles subject to emissions inspection to

complete their test requirement via the RAPIDPASS Virginia program. This program,

which is an on-road, drive-through emissions inspection option, has the additional

benefit of identifying and requiring repairs for vehicles subject to the inspection and

maintenance program that need repairs between testing dates. Identification and repair

of high emitting vehicles will help to improve air quality both in the Washington, D.C.

region and in the Fredericksburg region since many citizens commute to Washington,

D.C. from Fredericksburg. Regionally, Celco, a large manufacturing operation located

in Narrows, Virginia, retired six coal-fired boilers in the fall of 2015. The facility replaced

these units with new, low-emitting, natural gas-fired units. These changes will reduce

annual upwind emissions by approximately 3,000 tons of NOX and 7,000 tons of SO2,

based on 2014 emissions data from the facility.

A disk containing supporting information, including the various documents referenced in

Table 3 and Table 4, is included with this report.


Table 3: Emission Reduction Programs-In Development or Ongoing

ControlProgram

Stakeholders TimeFrame

Milestones Program

Type

Feedback & Comments

Metropolitan Planning Organizations

CMAQProjects

FAMPO 2012-2018

Programsinitiated?

Voluntary • On-going.

GWRideConnect

FAMPO

GWRideConnect

On-going VMT avoidedannually

Vehicle tripsavoidedannually

Vanpoolsformed

Voluntary • Programs on-going.• See GWRideConnect Annual Work Plan Outline FY16.docx• http://www.gwrideconnect.org

DMME-Division of Energy

VEMP DMME On-going SF of publicbuildingsretrofitted?Private capitaldeployed?Energy savings?

Voluntary • Total value of contracts through FY 2014 is $685 million. Cumulativeestimated CO2 emission reductions through calendar year 2014 are271,732 tons.

• See VEMP – Performance Contracting.docx.

EnergizeVirginia

DMME 2011-2016

Funds awarded?Programs to beimplemented?

Voluntary • More than $10M awarded in 2012. Projects include energyperformance contracts, and a solar thermal system.

• More than $1.7M has been repaid as of 01/31/2015.• See Energize Virginia.docx.

Virginia Clean Cities

Virginia GetReady

VCC On-going Statewidenetwork ofchargers

Voluntary • Deployed two EV planning docs in 2013 as well as tools for advancingelectric vehicles and infrastructure.

• VA registrations of electric vehicles increased from 1,837 in 2014 to2,347 in 2015. VA public charging stations increased in number from275 in 2014 to 358 in 2015.

• See http://www.virginiaev.org/,• See va_electric+hybrid_vehicles_and_stations_2008-2015.xlsx and

Clean-Cities-2015-Annual_report_VA-Virginia-Clean-Cities-Expanded-Edition.pdf.

Regional Reductions

HoneywellSCRInstallation

VDEQ 12/2012through06/2019

# of SCRinstalled?Annualemissions ofNOX?

Permitting;ConsentAgreement

• Two SCR commenced operation December 2012.• Two additional SCR began operating October of 2014.



ControlProgram


Milestones Program

Type

Feedback & Comments

Fort A.P. Hill Fort A.P. Hill On-going • Newprogramsimplementedor studied?

Voluntary • New Army Reserve Center Complex-LEED Certified Gold July 2013• AWG Complex certified LEED Silver in near term.• See AP Hill – annual report rev.docx.

Utility-ScaleSolar

Dominion On-going Voluntary • In February 2015, Dominion announced plans to develop multiple utility-scale solar projects totaling 400 megawatts of electricity. All projects willbe built in Virginia with involvement of Virginia-based companies andare expected to be operational by 2020.http://dom.mediaroom.com/2015-02-05-Dominion-Virginia-Power-Planning-Major-Expansion-of-Large-Scale-Solar-in-Virginia.

• On October 1, 2015, Dominion filed with the Virginia State CorporationCommission (SCC) for certificates of public convenience and necessity(CPCN) for three separate solar projects that would be located inPowhatan, Louisa and Isle of Wight counties. Collectively, as proposed,these projects would total 56 MW of solar capacity.http://dom.mediaroom.com/2015-10-01-Dominion-Virginia-Power-seeks-to-build-56-megawatts-of-new-solar

• On February 8, 2016, Dominion announced it was partnering withSunEnergy1 to install over 91,000 solar panels at a new solar farm inChesapeake, VA capable of generating up to 20 MW of electricity.Dominion will purchase the output of the facility under a 20-year powerpurchase agreement. https://www.dom.com/corporate/news/news-releases/137105.

• Dominion is partnering with the Commonwealth of Virginia andMicrosoft for a 20 MW solar facility in Fauquier County, VA. The facilityis expected to become operational in late 2017, pending regulatoryapproval. https://www.dom.com/corporate/news/news-releases/137114.

• In November 2015, the company announced the acquisition of an 80-megawatt solar facility (Amazon Solar Farm) in Accomack County,Virginia from project developer Community Energy, Inc.http://dom.mediaroom.com/2015-11-16-Dominion-Acquires-Solar-Energy-Project-on-Virginias-Eastern-Shore.



ControlProgram


Milestones Program

Type

Feedback & Comments

SolarPartnershipProgram

Dominion 2013-2018

Program on-going?1.2 MW inoperation todate.

Voluntary • Dominion has recently completed the installation of an array of ground-mounted solar panels at the Phillip Morris USA (Altria) facility inChesterfield County, VA that will be capable (under optimal conditions)of generating about 2,450 kW of electricity.

• In addition, the company has completed solar installations on therooftops of Canon Virginia Environmental Technologies in GloucesterCounty, VA; Old Dominion University in Norfolk; VA, Virginia UnionUniversity in Richmond, VA; Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA;the Capital One facility in Richmond, VA; and West Branch High Schoolin Chesapeake, VA.

• These combined facilities represent a total of over 4.5 megawatts ofsolar generating capacity.

• https://www.dom.com/business/dominion-virginia-power/ways-to-save/renewable-energy-programs/solar-partnership-program

RenewableGeneration –Schedule RG

Dominion On-going Programapprovalreceived

Voluntary • Company received approval of program from SCC in December 2013.• Company began accepting applications in April 2014.• https://www.dom.com/business/dominion-virginia-power/ways-to-

save/renewable-energy-programs/schedule-rg

RenewableEnergy PilotProgram

Dominion On-going SCC establishedprogramguidelines inNovember 2013

Voluntary • As of December 1, 2013, qualified customers may participate in theVirginia State Corporation Commission’s Renewable Energy PilotProgram. This pilot program allows qualified customers to enter into aPower Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a third party renewable energysupplier. The energy supplied must come from a wind or solar generatorlocated on the customer’s premise.

• https://www.dom.com/business/dominion-virginia-power/ways-to-save/renewable-energy-programs/renewable-energy-pilot-program

AlternativeVehicles andFuelsProgram

Dominion On-going % of fleetpowered byalternative fuels?

Voluntary • Vehicles powered by alternative fuels now make up about 33% ofCompany’s on-road fleet of about 6,000 cars and trucks.

• https://www.dom.com/corporate/our-commitments/environment/what-we-are-doing/greening-our-vehicle-fleet



ControlProgram


Milestones Program

Type

Feedback & Comments

Other Programs not included in the 2013 Fredericksburg Ozone Advance Action Plan

GreenOperatorsProgram atthe Port ofRichmond

VPA, RAMPO 2013-2015

n/a Voluntary;funded byCMAQ and byDERA

• Funds awarded from CMAQ to begin a retrofit/replacement operationfor 100 Class 8b dray trucks that are 2003 MY or older; Estimatedemission reductions of 107 tpy VOC and 4 tpy NOX. Additional fundsreceived from DERA.

• Richmond regional CMAQ funds authorized an additional $500,000 forthis program for FY2017-FY2021.

• See Richmond Regional TPO-TIP book 02-2016.pdf and Annual Report– Expanded Green Operator Report 10-30-15.pdf.

• www.greenoperator.org

VirginiaOffshore WindTechnologyAdvancementProject

Dominion 2017-2018

n/a Voluntary • Dominion is involved in the Virginia Offshore Wind TechnologyAdvancement Project (VOWTAP), a research and development projectsupporting offshore wind (OSW) generation, which will consist of twoOSW turbines with a combined capacity of approximately 12 MW.

• The company was awarded up to an additional $47 million from theDOE on May 7, 2014, to help fund the construction of the OSWdemonstration project. https://www.dom.com/corporate/what-we-do/electricity/generation/wind/virginia-offshore-wind-technology-advancement-project

• On September 4, 2013, Dominion bid $1.6 million to win the lease for112,800 acres off the Virginia coast to develop an OSW farm capable ofgenerating up to 2,000 MW of electricityhttps://www.dom.com/corporate/what-we-do/electricity/generation/wind/offshore-wind-power


Table 4: Emission Reduction Programs-Completed

Control Program StakeholdersTime

FrameProgram Type

Feedback & Comments

Virginia Clean Cities

Propane AutogasProgram

VCC 2009-2013 Voluntary • Program concluded in 2013.• Converted 117 vehicles to autogas in VA.• Alternative fuel vehicles estimated to reduce NOX emissions

273 tons annually in VA.

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Expansion of ORE VDEQ 2015 Regulation • Program implemented winter 2015.

Regional Reductions

Invista PowerhouseProject

VDEQ 2013-2014 Permit • New boilers started operation in January of 2014.• Shutdown request for existing boilers 1 and 2 effective

January 9, 2014.• Shutdown request for existing boiler 3 effective March 12,

2014.

Generating unit retrofitsand fuel switches

Dominion 2014 Permit • Bremo Bluff ceased burning coal in fall of 2013. Facility is nowburning solely natural gas.

2012-2013 Permit • Permits received for Hopewell, Altavista, and Southamptonfuel switch from coal to biomass. Units have begun burningbiomass and no longer burn coal.

2012 MATS; ConsentAgreement

• Installation of SO2 scrubbers complete for all coal units at theChesterfield Power Station near Richmond, VA.

2014 MATS; 2010 SO2NAAQS

• Chesapeake Energy Center retired all coal-fired units inDecember 2014.

2014 Permit • Dominion began commercial operation of the Warren CountyPower Station in December 2014. This operation is acombined cycle facility rated at about 1,329 MW burningnatural gas and equipped with state of the art controls.https://www.dom.com/residential/dominion-virginia-power/news/customer-newsletters/feb15-meeting-steeper-power-peaks

Celco PowerhouseProject

VDEQ Coal unitsretired?

Permit • All coal fired boilers permanently shut down as of 9/23/2015.


Table 4: Emission Reduction Programs-Completed

Control Program StakeholdersTime

FrameProgram Type

Feedback & Comments

Philip Morris – Park 500 VDEQ 2014-2015 Permit • Facility has converted coal-fired boilers to multi-fueled unitsand is now burning cleaner fuels.

National Parks VCC, NPS 2014 Voluntary • NPS added 12 prone lawn mowers and 2 electric vehicles toits fleet, along with a public EV charging station and 2 privateEV charging stations.

fredericksburg ozone advance action planfredericksburg ozone advance action plan annual report...

Documents